T. E. Lawrence

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T. E. Lawrence

21 Nov 2012 11:33 - 21 Nov 2012 15:19
#559429
So I actually had a slow night last week and was able to watch a movie. How many of us get to do that these days? I haven't seen this film in years; the 1962 film "Lawrence Of Arabia". As most of you know, T. E. Lawrence helped the allied cause in WWI by leading the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire (Turks). After the war, two months after leaving the army, he died in a motorcycle accident on a country lane close to his cottage home. As he was traveling, he came upon a dip in the road which obscured his vision. Thereafter, he saw he was on track to collide with two boys on bicycles. As he tried avoid them, he lost control and went over his handle bars. Six days later he succumbed to his injuries. We was riding a bike which I have never heard of before, a Brough Superior SS100:



One interesting fact from Wikipedia:

"One of the doctors attending him was the neurosurgeon Hugh Cairns. He was profoundly affected by the incident, and consequently began a long study of what he saw as the unnecessary loss of life by motorcycle dispatch riders through head injuries. His research led to the use of crash helmets by both military and civilian motorcyclists."
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Last edit: 21 Nov 2012 15:19 by KZJOE900.
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  • bluej58
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Re: T. E. Lawrence

21 Nov 2012 11:56
#559430
Cool bike, was that the one he was riding ?

JD
78 KZ1000 A2A

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Re: T. E. Lawrence

21 Nov 2012 12:06 - 21 Nov 2012 12:07
#559433
bluej58 wrote: Cool bike, was that the one he was riding ?

JD

I believe it was. From the caption with the photo on Wikipedia it states, "Lawrence's last Brough Superior, Imperial War Museum, London. I clicked on the photo and another page states, "The original (restored) Brough Superior of T. E. Lawrence / Imperial War Museum / London". So I assume it is the one he crashed with.
Current project 76 KZ900 (This was a Vetter model)
76 KZ900
81 XJ550H SECA (Current Project)
82 XJ550R SECA
Past:
86 FJ1200
74 Z1900
72 CB450
Last edit: 21 Nov 2012 12:07 by KZJOE900.

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  • 531blackbanshee
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Re: T. E. Lawrence

21 Nov 2012 14:41
#559454
he used to race the airplanes on take off with that thing when he was stationed at the air field.

a 100+mph machine way back then.
top notch bike then or now.

leon
skiatook,oklahoma 1980 z1r,1978 kz 1000 z1r x 3,
1976 kz 900 x 3
i make what i can,and save the rest!

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Re: T. E. Lawrence

22 Nov 2012 04:23 - 22 Nov 2012 04:24
#559583
T.E.Lawrence had 5 or 6 Brough Superiors, 3 SS80 and at least 2 SS100, Great for going, not so good for stopping. Jay Lenno has an ss100 and tells a great story about chrome valve springs. When he was young he found a photo of an SS100 and he just had to have one. When he got a bit older (and richer) added one to his collection. One of the "cool" things he did to his Brough Superiors was he had the exposed velve springs chromed. When ever he took it for a ride he would carry an extra spring because they were always breaking. This went on for some time untill he found another copy of that photo that made him lust after a SS100 years before. One of the things the caption for that photo said was "Do not chrome the valve spring on your Brough Superior it makes them brittle and they will break". I guess he was blinded by lust.
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Last edit: 22 Nov 2012 04:24 by 893cv.

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  • donthaveakawman
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Re: T. E. Lawrence

22 Nov 2012 08:23
#559596
KZJOE900 wrote: So I actually had a slow night last week and was able to watch a movie. How many of us get to do that these days? I haven't seen this film in years; the 1962 film "Lawrence Of Arabia". As most of you know, T. E. Lawrence helped the allied cause in WWI by leading the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire (Turks). After the war, two months after leaving the army, he died in a motorcycle accident on a country lane close to his cottage home. As he was traveling, he came upon a dip in the road which obscured his vision. Thereafter, he saw he was on track to collide with two boys on bicycles. As he tried avoid them, he lost control and went over his handle bars. Six days later he succumbed to his injuries. We was riding a bike which I have never heard of before, a Brough Superior SS100:



One interesting fact from Wikipedia:

"One of the doctors attending him was the neurosurgeon Hugh Cairns. He was profoundly affected by the incident, and consequently began a long study of what he saw as the unnecessary loss of life by motorcycle dispatch riders through head injuries. His research led to the use of crash helmets by both military and civilian motorcyclists."
Brough Superior, is that where bro comes from?

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  • jeffasaki
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Re: T. E. Lawrence

22 Nov 2012 09:31
#559599
never heard ofa ss100 brough (bruff)superior?
the only bike that would compare would be a crocker
if i had a choice id get a flying merkel :laugh:
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Ontario Canada

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Re: T. E. Lawrence

22 Nov 2012 11:05
#559608
jeffasaki wrote: never heard ofa ss100 brough (bruff)superior?
the only bike that would compare would be a crocker
if i had a choice id get a flying merkel :laugh:

I'd go for a Vincent Black Lightning.
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www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=39120.0


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Re: T. E. Lawrence

22 Nov 2012 11:21
#559609
the black shadow would be cool
78 Z1R
78 KZ1000
76 KH500 gone
71 HS1B 90
81 GS 1100 gone
80 PE400
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Ontario Canada

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  • JR
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Re: T. E. Lawrence

22 Nov 2012 21:39
#559661
Brough surperior looks like a forerunner of the Vincent. Flying Merkel is really weird. Saw one 2 years back and Paris (Ontario) CVMG meet. Both grips twist. The right was/is throttle and he left was advance/retard ignition. Talk about complex !
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  • steell
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Re: T. E. Lawrence

22 Nov 2012 22:26
#559666
That's the same way on the old Harleys, and probably many others of that time.
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